SECTION 5. RURAL SERVICE AREA SECTION 5: RURAL SERVICE AREA 5.1 RURAL SERVICE AREA GENERAL 105

5.1 Rural Service Area General

Strathcona County is a Specialized Municipality within the Metropolitan Region, and has been one of the fastest growing municipalities in . Within it, agricultural operations have historically been a major economic activity. Also, a substantial portion of the rural service area falls within the Beaver Hills Moraine which has been designated a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Biosphere.

In 2015, completed an Agriculture Master Plan which confirms that agricultural operations continue to be the largest land user within Strathcona County. Although relatively small in terms of area in comparison to other counties in Alberta, Strathcona County continues to be a highly productive agricultural municipality. More than just an economic entity, agricultural operations provide a rural lifestyle for those who desire this, and help establish the community character of Strathcona County.

Strathcona County’s Rural Service Area contains nine distinct policy areas that are strategically located based on the agricultural quality of soils, nearness to urban centres, available infrastructure and location of environmentally significant areas and the Beaver Hills Moraine. The location of these policy areas forms the foundation of the interrelated zones of the Beaver Hills Biosphere. Each of the areas has been established to meet different objectives and create a well-rounded and diverse community and economy for the County.

Strathcona County’s Rural Service Area also contains three growth hamlets including Ardrossan, , and South as well as five small hamlets, including , , Half Moon Lake, and North Cooking Lake. These hamlets provide residents with a rural alternative to the Urban Service Area.

Goal

Strathcona County will have a viable Rural Service Area.

Objectives

Strathcona County’s objectives are to ensure that the Rural Service Area:

1. Is viable in the long term. 106 SECTION 5: RURAL SERVICE AREA 5.1 RURAL SERVICE AREA GENERAL

Policies Strathcona County will:

General Support viability in the long term by considering:

6. the risk of, or potential for, wildfire when Ensure viability in the long term by requiring: reviewing applications for subdivision or new multi-parcel Country Residential 1. development. subdivision to occur only within the Country Residential Policy Area. 7. the redesignation of prime agricultural lands for agricultural purposes in areas designated viability in the long term by : Promote encouraging for non-agricultural uses including, but 2. new Major Public Services for the Rural Service not limited to, country residential areas or Area to locate within the Urban Service Area or reclaimed resource extraction areas. growth hamlets. 8. the use of all available tools in addition to 3. small scale agriculture support services municipal reserves, to acquire or gain access to throughout the Rural Service Area. lands for park and recreational use, including:

4. the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable a. donations; development practices through people living b. bequests; and working in harmony with nature within the c. long-term leases; Beaver Hills Biosphere. d. joint use agreements and; 5. the implementation of FireSmart principles to e. amenity contributions. aid in the prevention of loss, damage or injury new Major Public Services outside of growth due to wildfire. 9. hamlets and the Urban Service Area where the proposed development:

a. supports the needs of the municipality; b. is within the vicinity of its main user base; c. has levels of infrastructure which meet the requirements of municipal and provincial standards and regulations; d. is rezoned to a district consistent with the objectives and policies of the applicable policy area; e. considers community input; and f. is consistent with an applicable statutory plan.